Pipe joint



Jan- 30, 1940 F. c. SCHEFFAUER 2,188,314

PIPE JOINT Filed April 4, 1959 /N VEN TOR iedm' cg( C SC/Leffuer 1Q TTORNE Y Patented Jan. 30, 1940 '.UNITEDSTATE s PATENT OFFICE,

amended April 30, 1928;y A370 0. G. 757,)`

, This invention `described herein may be manufacturedandused by or for the Government for governmental purposes, `witl'iout the payment to me of any royalty thereon. Y This invention relates to pipe joints, more particularly it is directedto a pipe joint of the ball and4 socket type adapted .to permit limited relative angular movement of the pipes` to which the joint may` be attached. i One objectvof` the invention is to provide a flexible connectionmbetween pipes used on side pipe type hopper dredges and pipe line dredg'es or the like.V l Anotherobject of this invention vis to provide a ball and ``socket joint of Asuch construction as to form a watertightseal betweenthe ball and socket portion of thejoint and which maybe `connected to adjacent ends of two sections or lines of pipes, even when said sections or lines of pipe are at an angle to each other.' o

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ball and socket joint `for pipes which is simple in construction, easy to apply and remove from the pipes to which it may be connected, inexpensiveto manufacture and whichis not liable to 'become'out of order.` l

With the` above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of certainl features of construction and operation of parts which will hereinafter appear and invvhivch Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a pipe joint, em` I bodying the invention; j Fig. 2 is a'longituzdinal sectional view of the joint taken on the line 2-2 of Fig."1, and

Fig 3 is `an enlarged 'fragmentary detail sectionallview of the'joint.

yln theillustratedv embodiment characterizing the invention, I `designates generally the com` plete `,assembled joint which comprises ia, male coupling member 2 and a female coupling member, each having'a radial flange 4 on their outer ends 5 and 5 respectively, containing a series,4 of

bolt openings "I for the reception of any suitable bolts, whereby the coupling members 2 and 3 ,y maybe connected to adjacent ends of two seetions of `pipe (not shown).

The male coupling member 2 is preferably made of chrome nickel steel and has a semi-globular or spherically curved hollow ball portion 8 which projects into the female coupling member 3. The ball portion 8 of the joint is pro-vided with an annular groove 9 on itsl external surface which extends longitudinally across the ball portion to adjacent the inner end thereof and provides aseat for 4a jacket or cover ID which is held in place by a shoulderI I formed on the inner end of the ball portion." f 1l Y I The jacket I Il in the' present illustration is made of a plurality of layers of diiferent types of rubber,

' asillustrated in Fig; 2, the first layer I2 of the .l

Yjacket consisting of hard rubber base stock of suitable thickness, which is seated within the groove 9 against the'steelfball portion of the male coupling member; Oni the first layer of hard rubber l2 is'lplaceda cushion of elastic gum I3 of substantially the'same thickness as the rst layer of rubber and a third layer I4 made of highly abrasive resisting tough rubber of ifine texture is placed on the layer of elastic gum I3.

lT-heyfemale coupling member l3 constitutes the socket portionfof thejoint and is formed by two socket sections `I5vand 'TIS which are preferably oflsoft steel. 'I'lfiesocket"l section I5 is provided atits inner endf with a radial flange Il and the socket section I '6 vis provided at its inner end with avcylindrical"flangel8. 4The two socket sections I5'."and "I6 aresuitably connected together by means 'of the bolts *I9` and `nuts 20, the said bolts -IS projecting `throughaseries of aligned openings provided in the radial andeylindrical flanges II and I8 respectively of the `socket sectionsI5 and I6 of the female coupling member. Referring more particularly to'Fig. 3 the socket section -I 6 of the yfemale 'coupling member is counterbored at 2l' providing an annular seat for a separator ring 22 `made preferably of stainless steel and containing an annular groove 23 for a purpose which 'will hereinafter appear, and the section' I5 of thefemale coupling member 3 is provided with an annular tongue 2li` which is` adapted to abut against'o'ne side of the separator ring, l r l rrAn annular gasket 25 made /of any suitable material, such as tough elastic rubber,` dovetailed in cross-section, is fitted against the lower surface of the separator ring 22` with the upper surface of the. gasket bridging the annular groove 23 formed inthe separator ring. 'The socket section I5 of the female. coupling member 3 is lined with a manganese bronze linerv 26 and the socket section I6 isllinedrwith'a manganesebronze liner 21 and with a steel liner 28, these liners or shields 26, 2'I` and 28 acting as packing glands. The inner ends of the manganese bronze liners 25 and `21 are formed with opposed annular shoulders 29 and 30 respectively, whicht into annular recesses 3| and 32 formed in the sections I5 and I6 and abut against a portion of the separator ring 22. The shoulders 29` and 30 have opposed surfaces 33 and34 which are inclined to'` correspond which is displaced by the compression thereof to and contact with the opposite sides of the rubber gasket 25, for holding the gasket in leakproof engagement on the female coupling member 3 against the separator ring. The inner lower surface of the gasket extends below the surfaces'of the liners 26, 21 and 28, whereby the gasket mayimpinge against the rubber jacket Ill on the ball portion 8 of the joint to provide a complete seal against the entry of air 'or water through the joint, even after some wear has taken place, the volume of rubber of the gasket 25 against the rubber jacket I0 on the ball part 8 of the joint being adapted to enter the annular groove 23 on the separator ring 22.

In order to lubricate the ball and socket joint,` openings having suitable grease cups 36 engaging therewith, are formed inthe socket secannular grooves 31 formed`on the adjacent surfaces -of the socket section I5 and linerA 26 and socket section lli-and liner 21, where the lubricant may be conducted to the inner surfaces of Athe liners, and the outer surface'of the rubber jacket. IIJ by means of suitably spaced holes 38. When the joint is connected to 'pipes underwater that medium alone may` furnish the neces'- sary lubrication. Equally spaced ribs 39 may be integrally formed around the socket 'sections I5 coupling member 3, as

and I6I of the female illustrated in Fig. 1.

By this constructionwhen the joint is applied to pipes usedon dredging operations, losses' in dredging efficiency due to the entry of large percentages of water, throughworn joints of the all steel type, will be eliminated by the permissible snug fit of the rubber jacketed ball portion `8 ofthe male coupling member 2 with the socket liners 26, 21 and 28 and the positive seal effected bjy the rubber gasket 25. The maintenance of positive seal conditions in the joint insures rapid and positive primingofa dredging pump where it is necessary or desirable to havepipes connected by the joint abovel the water surface in dredging operations.

vIt will thus be seen that there is provided a new and useful improvement in pipe joints, which is,l well adapted for all the'purposes'indicated. Even though therehas herein been shown and described certain features of construction and nular shoulders having inclined surfaces formed operation of parts, it is nevertheless to be understood that various changes `maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. l u Having described my: invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Lett-ers Patentis: 1. In av pipe joint the combination of a male and female coupling member, said male coupling member including a hollow ball portion having a jacket thereon, an annular gasket dovetailed in cross-section and liners acting as packing glands carried by said female couplingmember and adapted to engagethe jacket*A on the ball portion of said male coupling member, and anfemale coupling ,membeix 2. In a pipe joint the combination of a male and female coupling member, said male coupling member including a hollow ball portion having 'a jacket thereon, and said female coupling member ,comprising a separator ring containing an annularI groove, an annular rubber gasket engaging said separator ring adjacent to the annular groove thereof and liners acting as packing glands, said rubber gasket and liners adapted toengage the jacket on the ball portion of said male coupling member. and said-rubber gasket tions `I5 and I6 of the female coupling member.V 3, which openings 35 lead into complemental4 extending below said liners whereby upon engagement of said gasket with kthe jacket on the ball portion of'said male coupling member, a portion of the rubber of said gasket is caused to be compressed into the annular groove of said separator ring, l f i I 3. In a pipe joint the combination of a male and female coupling member, said male member including a hollow ball portion having aV jacket thereon, and said 'female coupling member formed by two socket sections detachably connected together, anannular rseat formed on one of said socket sections, a separator ring mounted on said annular seat, an annular gasket engaging said separator ring, metal liners acting as packing glands on said socket sections, one end of certain of said metal liners contacting with and supporting said annular gasket against said separator ring, said annular gasket and said liners adapted to contact with the jacket lon the'ball portion of said male coupling member whereby a leakproof seal is`l providedv bei tween said joint.` y

4. In apipe joint the combination of a male land female coupling member, said male coupling member including a hollow ball portion having a jacket thereon and said female coupling member formed by two socket sections devtachably connected together, an annular seat formed on said, socket sections, a separator ring mounted on said annular seat, an annular gasket engaging said separator ring, liners acting as packing glands carried by said female coupling member, said gasket and liners adapted to engagev thejacket on the ball portion of said male coupling member for forming a leakproof seal between said joint, annular shoulders havinginclined surfaces formedon one end of certain of said liners, said annular shoulders engaging in,A annular recesses formed on said female coupling member and said inclined surfaces on said shoulders conforming to and contacting with Y the sides of said annular gasket for holding it ina fixed leakproof position on said female coupling member.

FREDERICK C. SCHEFFAUER. 

